Kalash (AK-74M)
The Kalash, also known as the AK-74M or formally the Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974 modernized, was the service rifle of the Russian army before the nuclear war that drove humanity underground. Overview As a pre-war weapon, it shows superior craftsmanship and manufacturing and is highly prized for its ability to keep working in even the worst climatic conditions - a reputation that it has carried through the Great War. Considered by many to be among the finest weapons available underground, the AK-74M's rugged reliability makes it a highly-prized weapon by many of the metro inhabitants. Since it is a primary weapon, it can use both dirty and military-grade 5.45x39mm cartridges. The very first Kalash available to the player in Metro 2033 is provided by Bourbon. He offers his rifle as a reward for escorting him from Riga to Dry Station. It can be found behind the player at the start of the respective level. After that, AK-74M's can be reliably found on most levels up until Tower. The Kalash makes a return in Metro: Last Light, but appears to have undergone some modifications, including a heat shield and can now accept under-barrel attachments. For those who bought the Last Light limited edition, or Metro Redux, it can be the perfect median between the accurate RPK-74 and the high fire-rate AKS-74U, interestingly they are all essentially the same design. The Kalash is the second weapon players are given in Metro: Exodus, being used with wooden furniture, a standard barrel and a 20-round magazine. The weapon is later found in use by the Hansa in its most simple format, with a short barrel and lightweight furniture. It serves as the sole assault rifle for the first portion of the game. Tactics and Use 'Metro 2033' The Kalash has the second lowest fire rate of the group and moderate accuracy. This weapon lacks a silenced version, which makes it useless for stealth. If your playstyle is being subtle, consider getting the VSV as your primary weapon. A slow rate of fire and high damage make it perfect for conserving ammunition, which makes it an optimal choice for levels such as Frontline. As with all primary weapons, the Kalash loaded with MGRs is capable of killing almost anything with a single shot on higher difficulties. To conserve the ammo, firing bursts is recommended, except in close quarters. If you are good with dirty ammo, you can keep the Kalash as your main weapon until the better Kalash 2012 becomes available. The scoped version increases player's reach, however, due to the lack of sniping opportunity of the game, getting the scope is not necessary. This works both ways though and human opponents armed with AK-74M's grow progressively more and more dangerous as the difficulty setting goes up. Due to that most firefights should be approached with "''who shoots first - wins" mentality. 'Metro: Last Light' In the sequel, the AK-74M has become one of the most, if not the most, versatile weapons in the player's arsenal thanks to the new attachment system. This time around it can accept a silencer which makes it invaluable for stealth. It can also accept Reflex, IRNV and 2x optical sights, making it useful for both close and long range combat, as well as additional attachments, including an extended 45 round RPK-styled magazine, and laser designator, useful for ranger difficulties. As with all primary weapons, the AK-74 loaded with MGRs is capable of killing almost anything with a single shot on higher difficulties. This weapon is common and used by all three major factions in the game and used by some major characters. You can also buy them at almost all shops in the game. The AK-74M is a very balanced weapon, with the correct attachments, this weapon can handle almost any firefight in the game, its one major weakness is the AK-74M performs poorly at long range combat even with optics. And the rate of fire is lower compared to VSV and Kalash 2012. 'Metro: Exodus' The Kalash is the primary assault rifle for much of Metro: Exodus. As the second weapon introduced to the character (behind the Shambler), the Kalash makes good use of the new attachment and customisation system to fill numerous roles, including the AKS-74u, standard Kalash and RPK. Kalash's can be found throughout the main story of Exodus and its DLC's, however they aren't of the same gameplay value as in the base game. In The Two Colonels, Colonel Khlebnikov briefly acquires a Kalash and Duplet during the defense against the Novosibirsk Riots, however after this he switches back to a Flamethrower for the rest of the DLC. In Sam's Story, the Kalash can be frequently found throughout Vladivostok, however is of questionable use as the Sammy, an assault rifle also capable of using the new Incendiary 5.45x39mm rounds, fills the slot of the pneumatic weapons from the main game, and no other weapons that use this slot can be found. Note: Attachments in Exodus can be found in multiple locations and even on enemy weapons. As such, any location listed may not be the only place to find these attachments. If you find any other attachment locations, please list them to help other players. *A Kalash with the standard stock, standard barrel and extended magazine (45 rounds) can be found in the Volga. It is on the southern island underneath the transmission tower. You can also zipline to this tower from the other tower that is inhabited with bandits and has the guitar you can retrieve for the Aurora crew. *The suppressor can be found somewhat close to the Aurora on the small islet to the south-west side of the Volga map. You can find a rowboat on the main southwest island and row there or you can cross over using the wreckage of a larger boat. The suppressor is inside the larger structure on the islet. *The 30 round magazine can be found in the bunker Anna falls into in the Volga. *A Kalash with the semi-grip stock, long barrel, 4x scope and 30 round magazine can be found in the Volga. It is in the cabin of the crane standing in water near the south-east corner of the map. You'll need to traverse up the broken pipes leading to the crane to access it. Also of note; The metal detector suit upgrade is in a small shack next to the pipes you need to climb to access the crane. *In the rafters of the centre ruin of the three large ruins on the south-east island of the Volga (next to a rail turntable, which is indicated on the map by a blue circular area) is a Kalash with a heavy stock, long barrel, reflex sight and 30 round magazine. *The 75 round drum magazine can be found in the Caspian level. Look around the middle of the map with your binoculars and try to find some tents and shipping containers in the sand. The drum magazine is in one of these containers, but be mindful of some human enemies in this area. Variants and Customization Metro Last Light The Kalash has three attachment slots and six available attachments in total. Attachments in the Misc slot can be equipped both at once, so the Kalash can have four different attachments at the same time. Metro Exodus Kalash shares all Barrel upgrades and most Magazine upgrades with Bulldog and Stock upgrades with Bulldog and Shambler. Unlike Bulldog, it only comes with a 4x scope, but it can equip larger magazine, a 75-round drum mag, unique to this weapon, that can be found in the Caspian level. Combining this magazine with Long barrel essentially turns the Kalash into an RPK. Obtainment Metro 2033 Related Achievements/Trophies Metro 2033 Metro Last Light Metro Exodus Trivia *The name "Kalash" is derived from its creator Mikhail Kalashnikov's surname. In some Slavic countries, it is more common to use the slang term "Kalash" (Russian: Калаш, or Polish: Kałach) than "AK-47" when referring to the famous rifle series. *It, the Revolver, the Saiga 12, the RPK and the VSV are the only portable real-life weapons in the game. Novel *In the novel, the firearms are never referred to by their exact name. Artyom and the VDNKh convoy guards carry "bulky military 7.62 calibre "machine guns" with wooden butts", (AK-47s or, more likely, AKMs) and weapons carried by Bourbon and Hansa guards are heavily implied to be AKS-74Us. ("It was also a Kalashnikov but it was cut-off like the ones held by the Hansa border guards, with a hinged butt and a short socket instead.") In Metro 2035 however, the weapons used by the order are recognized by Artyom, saying they are silenced AK-74's. * Artyom had an old AK-47 before being captured by the Nazis, while Anton equipped his own AK-47 before they set out for Park Pobedy. Video Games *If left idle, Artyom will run his finger along the exposed cartridges in the magazine. (This will allow a player to tell how much ammo is left before reloading since HUD has been removed on ranger difficulties). * The Kalash has an incorrect reload animation; the magazines are inserted straight in, rather than at an angle and locked in as is standard for all AK-pattern rifles. The same can be seen on the AKS-74u and the RPK. *In Metro 2033, the Kalash has a woodland camo on the top parts while the Kalash in Last Light has a matte finish. *In Metro: Last Light, Kalashes is used by many Rangers in the Battle of D6, rather than VSV or Kalash 2012. **Additionally, the AK-74 was planned to accept under barrel attachments, like the GP-30 grenade launcher. The idea, however, was scrapped and never made it to the retail version. Instead, the grenade launcher became the stand-alone DLC weapon, the Medved. **This configuration returned in Redux version of Metro 2033, used by NPCs. *There are many AKs that appear to be from earlier builds of the game scattered on certain levels. They have a brown finish and the majority have their stocks broken or sawed off. They are unusable by the player and merely serve as decoration. *The weapon in the game seems to be a mix between a standard AK-74 and an AK-74M, having an AK-74M pistol grip (plastic) and a standard AK-74 front grip (wooden). *The way the magazine exposes the cartridges could potentially cause malfunctions and misfeeds, however, this modification was used extensively by the Soviet troops during the USSR/Afghanistan war in the 80s, and mostly used by Russians today.http://artofwar.ru/m/maa/text_0400.shtml The durability of the AK line, combined with the generally cold and dry atmosphere of the metro, means this may not be as big of an issue. **However, there could be glass or clear plastic covering the openings to prevent dirt or water getting in the magazine. *In Metro 2033, the scope it uses appears to be a PK-AV Scope, the same type used by most other scoped weapon in the game. **In Last Light and 2033 Redux, however, there are more options for aiming optics, and more customization if the player has MGRs. *While the laser sight is barely visible in third person view, it is in fact attached to the gun barrel. This is changed in Redux, where it is visible on the left side of the barrel. *In Metro 2033 and Redux, Miller and Khan carry unique unobtainable AKs that have bayonets and laser sights attached. *Bourbon is the only person in the metro to call it an AK whereas everyone else refers to it as "Kalash". *Old versions of the Kalash looked more like the real-life AK-74M but were given a different look, possibly due to copyright reasons, much like the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. *In Last Light's level Red Square, the player can pick up a unique Kalash with a suppressor and a green laser sight, after killing a Red Line soldier on second-floor building of the ambush area, positioned between the two searchlights. *In metro 2033 redux a unusable kalash can be seen in the performance hall just before the player exits outside in the prolog that features a full polymer handguard like an RPK and has a strangely swollen gas tube. *The gun's model in Metro Exodus has the inscription of AK-103 on it, which is a newer derivative of the AK-74M chambered for the 7.62×39mm round, in service with various special operations groups in Russia since 2001. This is somewhat strange, as in-game the firearm continues to use the 5.45x39mm round that the AK-74M does. *The standard handguard set for the kalash in metro exodus features a folding wood stock which is quite unusual for any modern AK as in previous games the stock was always a polymer folding stock, it also lacks the cut out for the scope mount and lock to fold properly to the side meaning it was most likely made from a standard AK74 stock. *The heavy stock option features a spring loaded stock that appears to be a PKM stock cut in half and reconnected with springs to reduce the recoil somewhat like the duplet stock in metro 2033 and last light. *In all games the fire selector is on semi automatic despite firing on full auto. Gallery Kałach z LL (FPP).jpg|In-game AK-74M, as seen from the first person perspective in Metro: Last Light. New_Metro8.jpg|Last Light Teaser shown with heat shield and single shot pistol under the barrel. New_Metro7.jpg|Last Light Teaser. AK-74_Last_Light.jpg|E3 2011 demo. AK-74_Last_Light_Reloading.jpg|Ditto. Outpost_alpha_0003.jpg|The Kalash seen in the Alpha version of the level "Outpost" Bildota.jpg|AK-74M with an old version of the scope from the Metro 2033 beta Metro2033 2013-01-14 19-31-46-83.png|Default Kalash at Cursed Station. Metro2033 2013-01-14 20-40-46-08.png|First person view of the weapon. Metro2034KalashModified.JPG|This Kalash is modified with an IR scope, Suppressor and Laser sight. Kalash with scope.jpg|The Kalash with 2x optical sight. Kalash with supressor with reflex sight.jpg|The Kalash with suppressor and reflex sight. Metro2033_2014-05-01_18-58-52-07.png|Both variants of the AK-74M in Metro 2033. Metro2033_2014-05-01_18-38-52-40.png|The Kalash owned by Khan in Metro 2033, notice the bayonet attachment. Metro2033_2014-05-01_18-38-18-10.jpg|The unused Kalash in Metro 2033. Exodus - Kalash.jpg|Kalash in Metro Exodus. KalashModsMetroExodus.png|Modifying the Kalash in Metro Exodus. AK-103.png|A modified AK-103,This configuration of stock and hand guard alongside the x6scope is not possible in game. Achromatopsja - polska okładka.jpg|Franz, a character from Achromatopsia, uses a Kalash. Video Gallery Reference de:Kalash 74 ru:Калаш uk:Калаш Category:Weapons Category:Metro 2033 Video Game Category:Metro Last Light Category:Tower Pack DLC Category:Developer Pack DLC Category:Chronicles Pack DLC Category:Assault Rifles Category:Pre war weapons Category:Metro Exodus